Three dogs died in unrelated air travel incidents in August 2007 on domestic flights, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s monthly air travel report that was released Oct. 3.
On Aug. 2, American Airlines reported that a French Bulldog was traveling on flight 102 from Honolulu to Dallas and was found deceased upon arrival. The incident report states necropsy results were inconclusive and other animals traveling in the same cargo hold arrived without incident. No corrective action was taken.
Continental Airlines reported two dog deaths in August. A 1-year-old Pekingese was traveling on Aug. 11 from Houston to Portland, Ore., on flight 208 and was found deceased upon arrival. A necropsy was performed and found that the dog’s death was indicative of cardiopulmonary collapse or hypoxia, which is more common in short-nosed breeds of dogs. However, the necropsy did not report a definitive cause of death. Three other animals were traveling on the same flight and arrived without incident. No corrective action was taken.
On Continental Airlines flight 9554 from Houston to Abilene, Tex., a 2-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier was found dead upon arrival in Abilene. The report states the dog was “in season” and shipped for breeding purposes. The necropsy showed the animal overheated as she was sensitive to heat and her hormonal changes may have contributed to her sensitivity. The airline states all company procedures were followed and no corrective action was taken.
In addition to dog-related incidents, Alaska Airlines reported one cat lost and one cat death, Continental Airlines reported one cat death and Delta Airlines reported one cat lost during air transportation in August.
The Department of Agriculture states that they review airlines’ incident reports for violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), such as kennel size or temperature breaches, and pursue those for further investigation if the department questions whether the AWA was violated, according to the department’s animal care staff.
More than two million pets and live animals are transported by air each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
-Heidi Hatch, Associate News Editor for DogChannel.com